Entertainment

Nintendo 3DS: A Closer Look [PICS]

We went behind closed doors to see the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming console and took photos from all angles when we attended the E3 conference in Los Angeles last week.

The 3DS, which we previewed earlier, bumps up the specs and features of its predecessor across the board, but the most notable addition is the 3D screen. Unlike the tech used by movie theaters or Sony's PlayStation 3, you don't need special glasses to see the 3D effect. When it's on, it seems like multiple layers of action are happening beneath the surface of the screen. You can turn the effect on or off with a switch.

Nintendo insisted that the device be turned off when we took the pictures because a normal camera can't capture the 3D effect, but we were permitted to grab close-ups of the hardware itself so you can see the design, buttons and various ports.

For the most part, the design has changed little since the previous DS. You'll just find added bonuses tacked on — for example, Nintendo has added an analog thumbstick in addition to the classic directional pad, making the device better suited for precise 3D gaming. Do you like it, or would you have preferred a more radical new look?

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo 3DS

Samuel Axon is a digital content producer in New York City. He has worked as an editor at Engadget, Mashable and the Joystiq network, and currently leads content strategy as Editorial Director at Sprout Social.

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